Its been an interesting writerly week talking about just about everything BUT writing, to writers.
The first session was at the invitation of Dr. Maureen Jung, a recent transplanted California communications expert http://www.wordspringconsulting.com/about.html, who's drawing poets, pundits and potential writers into the FWA network
The premise of the chat was: will electronic tablets take over the writer's world – or will hard-copy books survive. As a writer and purveyor of books over the decades I spent an hour, demonstrating with papyrus, parchment, rag and wood pulp why they have – and will - outlast plasma screens. I had no idea, until I saw the photos taken with my camera by artist/writer/builder and pizza-creator buddy “Doc” Heman Harris, how animated I become when talking.
And on Saturday (Nov.20, 2010) I joined a panel sponsored by the St. Augustine FOL and FWA Steering Committee discussing the state of modern publishing. It was guided by FWA NE-District leader and author Vic Digenti. Also author Tim Robinson and Writer/Publishers Mike King (ClearView Press); Bill Reynolds (High Pitched Hum); with Barnes & Noble ebook/Nook expert Brad West. Members from both St. Augustine and Ponte Vedra groups crammed the room, and peppered the panel with a lively Q&A session.
Stay tuneed to FWA...there's more to come!
I have to agree that print books will remain for a very long time. eBooks are a 'newer' (about 10 years old at this point) format that allows for great new opportunities for readers and writers. Large print buyers are no longer limited in selection or forced to pay a higher price. Writers finally have a low-cost and better position to reach readers.
ReplyDeleteWhere I see the industry really seeing the true effect would be as the younger generations reach adulthood. They are growing up with instantly delivered digital media moreso than any other generation.
It's a very exciting time and it will be very interesting to see how the industry evolves over the next several years.